These portable wind turbines can be packed into the trunk of your car!

While renewable energy resources are indeed the future, many of the currently-available technologies lack feasibility when it comes to widespread, everyday use. For instance, even with the falling price of solar panels, installing a home-based photovoltaic array is often quite an expensive affair. Although the most viable option, in certain areas, wind power usually requires a substantial piece of land to accommodate a colossal turbine generator. To make the harvesting of wind energy easier and more accessible to common people, Minnesota-based company, Janulus, has designed a series of portable wind turbines, called Trinity, which can meet your power needs, while at home as well as on the move.

Built and assembled in Reykjavik, Iceland, the Trinity comes in four models: 50, 400, 1000 and 2500 watt, respectively. It uses batteries of the same kind as those found in electric cars. Each of these Li-ion batteries has a capacity ranging from 7,500 mAh up to 300,000 mAh, depending on the version of the wind turbine. High efficency ensures that the turbine can generate substantial power even in winds with speed as low as 2 m/s (around 4 mph). What makes it truly portable is its simple, lightweight design: the smallest model weighs only around 650 g (or 1.4 lbs) and can be used to charge a smartphone and similar devices, especially while on the road or during remote adventures.

The 400 W model contains a 30,000 mAh battery, which, at its full capacity, can recharge an iPhone 16 times or perhaps, more. The largest version weighs only around 19 kg (approx. 42 lbs), in comparison to the 300 kg (nearly 660 lbs) weight of the conventional wind turbine. What is more, it can be easily packed into the trunk of a standard-sized car. The Trinity 2500 is ideal for home installation, both in the case of mobile homes like RV and permanent houses. Each of these units can provide sufficient power to charge an electric car, and can be used to feed electricity directly to your home’s power grid with the help of an inverter.

Fashioned using durable plastic, the blades of the turbine can be arranged into two styles, depending on the prevailing wind speed. Easy installation means that the contraption can be up and running in no time. The engineers, at Janulus, have also developed an app, which allows the user to remotely switch the device on or off as well as customize its various options. The program provides real-time information regarding the amount of electricity the Trinity generates.

Within three days of its launch, the product’s Kickstarter campaign has already amassed $83,000; over $30,000 more than its initial goal. Interested buyers can acquire the 50 W model for only $369.